Presented in partnership · 2026
The New York
Fashion Awards
An evening for designers, business leaders, media, artists, and community partners — and a working door into the industry for the people who have not been let in yet.
The partnership
More than a fashion event. A platform.
The New York Fashion Awards celebrate excellence in the industry. What the 2026 edition adds, through its partnership with Aspire Next Gen, is a deliberate second purpose: to create opportunities for emerging designers, entrepreneurs, creatives, and industry professionals to grow, connect, and be seen.
That distinction matters to us. An awards evening honors people who have already arrived. A platform does that and puts the next group in the same room, on the record, with the introductions made.
Aspire Next Gen brings its charitable mandate, its production experience, and its mentorship network. The Fashion Awards bring the industry. The evening belongs to both.
Shared mission
What this partnership is for.
Inspire the next generation of fashion and creative leaders
Recognition that a young designer can see themselves inside.
Promote education, mentorship, and professional development
The business of fashion, taught by people currently doing it.
Celebrate diversity, inclusion, and innovation
Across the Americas, the Caribbean, and the Gulf — where our networks actually reach.
Recognize work that lifts the industry and the community
Honorees are chosen for impact as well as craft.
Encourage collaboration between established professionals and emerging talent
This is the one the whole evening is engineered around. Seating, programming, and the after-hours are all designed so that the introductions actually happen — and so that the follow-up call gets answered.
The founder
Marie Llanos
Puerto Rico–born, New York–based producer, editor, and entrepreneur with more than a decade in international fashion, media, and luxury events. A New York Film Academy graduate in directing and acting, she has produced and directed fashion shows, awards ceremonies, and editorial projects across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Middle East.
She is the founder and CEO of the New York Fashion Awards, founder and editor of Luxe Varié Magazine, and the force behind Dubai Latin Fashion, the Puerto Rico Fashion Awards, and West New York Fashion Week — platforms built on a single, consistent thesis: emerging brands deserve professional-grade production, not a smaller stage.
She is also Casting Director and Executive Producer at Aspire Rev Studios, and is establishing her production house under the New York Fashion Awards banner — the through-line between her fashion platforms and the screen work our two organizations share.
In the room
Who the evening brings together.
Partner with the 2026 edition
Sponsors, venues, and press.
We are actively speaking with sponsors, venue partners, media partners, and designers about the 2026 edition. Because the evening is presented in partnership with a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity, nonprofit rates and charitable-giving structures are available to qualifying partners.
IRS determination letter and EIN documentation are provided on request.